Meeting Reports

Thursday 20th July - Members Displays - Transport

Before looking at Transport Mike Houchen showed two photos of the display made by Upton in Bloom which celebrate the Club’s 50th anniversary. It features a variety of flowers plus the Club’s dolphin logo. Mike then started the evening proper with cigarette cards featuring lifeboats, which he had purchased on the Club’s visit to the Isle of Wight. And he gave the last display of the evening, this time Lighthouses of China, explaining their link with the theme: they are an aid to transport.
Mike Mawdsley raided his GB, Channel Island and Isle of Man collections to show stamps featuring a huge variety of transport ancient and modern, from animals (donkey and camels in the Christmas Story) to space travel. While some topics could be predicted others were more unusual, such as the “pea-green boat” on which the owl and the pussycat sailed to sea.

Alan King showed stamps of France and Hungary, from the early – horses and balloons – to the modern, including motor bikes, racing cars and aircraft; via the historic such as steam trains and vintage cars; to the unusual such as a bathysphere and skis. Mike Trickett followed with more France, this time postcards, including his Dinard collection featuring a first flight from Dinard to Jersey and the Dinard ferry to St. Malo. He also showed the transporter bridge at Rouen and finished with a postal history item: the Paris pneumatic mail (an English invention which we failed to develop ourselves). Tony Arnold finished the first half with postcards on a whole array of subjects, including tanks, royal carriages, sand yachts, wheelbarrows, roller skates, beach donkeys, elephants, barrel racing, the London Eye and The Titanic. One card showed a balloon over Upton House, which had housed an airship station in World War I.

After the break Don Trowsdale showed a series of pictures telling the story of the role of gliders in World War II, Operation Market Garden, the unsuccessful Allied military operation intended to circle the Ruhr, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in September 1944. He then went on the role of some of the iconic aircraft of the War including the Vulcan and the Spitfire. Barry Hobbs followed with some stunning postal history of the Travelling Post Offices of Bolivia. He explained that he had collected the subject for some years but for a long time had failed to find any new material, which left him without “the oxygen of acquisition”. But suddenly six covers came on the market, all of them unique. A variety of previously unrecorded TPO marks were shown including a 1932 letter to the builders of the Mojo-Pulario railway which got caught up in the Chaco War. The moral of these finds, said Barry, was “never give up”. Wendy Buckle also showed TPOs, this time of Latvia. On major lines TPO waggons staffed by postal employees were usually situated immediately behind the engine. Serving the towns and cities along the route they received, processed and delivered mail from both the post office and individuals. Mail could be posted in a special letter box on the post wagon, each of which had its own oval cancel. Wendy also showed a frame of Latvian airmails, from the start of the service in 1921 until it ceased in June 1940.

Carriages outside a Cafe in France	Churns being Loaded on the Milk Train to London
Official Letter Assigned to the Bolivian Railway during the Chaco War, 1932	TPO Letter from Latvia, 1933

Miniature Sheet, Transport, France	The Story of the Life Boat, Cigarette Cards

(Wendy Buckle)

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Thursday 6th July 2017
Guest Colin Mount FRPSL with "Pig in the Post"

What an extraordinary evening, Colin had us all spellbound for the two halves with an endless portrayal of the role of pigs in Society, and what over the centuries Society has done to perfect this amazing animal, the one that is closest to the human in so many ways.  After 44 years working in the pig industry, notably genetic improvements, with involvement and visits to breeders all over the world, just those stories alone would have been entertaining.  But this was a philatelic evening and Colin was able to display 180 sheets of material showing all aspects of our hobby through all aspects of the pig’s life (and after-life!). There were personal items as well, letters and cards sent to him from family and friends, new discoveries from members of his audiences all over southern England, who sent items of value and uniqueness from their own family memories and history from working in the industry.

There was a great assortment of postcards, letters, invoices, letterheads, stamps, frankings, and so on, in many languages and formats – a collector’s delight.  This was the first outing for this version of the presentation, Colin having restructured it over the last few months, enriching the content and supporting write-up.

Chairman, Chris Wheeler, gave a vote of thanks on behalf of everyone, and as well as a certificate presented him with a framed print from the 6 January 1904 edition of Punch magazine, depicting an RSPCA inspector telling off a farmer for holding a pig by its tail!

Cover from the Introduction page	Letter from France to "Mr Pig in the Post"	Colin at work in Portugal
Unadopted Essay of Tamworth Sow drawn for the Agriculture Issue in 1984	Rare Ministerial Sheet from Belgium	Slogan commemorating the centenary of pigs in the New Forest
The first Harris Shop in Calne	Pigs in the pyyg clay, the origin of the "piggy bank"	Colin receiving his humorous pig market 100 year old print award from Chris Wheeler

(chris wheeler)

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Thursday 29th June 2017
50th Anniversary Visit to Donald McGill Museum, Ryde, Isle of Wight

Eleven membersof the Club made it to Lymington for the 10:00 ferry across to Yarmouth on the the Isle of Wight and via two buses arrived in Ryde where they descended into the Donald McGill Museum to visit the massive collection and display of "saucy postcards" designed and produced by Donald McGill and his Company, Constance & Co. There apart from viewing so many cards, Donald's life story and motivation for doing the cards was revealed, culminating in his arrest and trials for indecency and obscenity at Lincoln Court, where 21 cards were banned and allcopies siezed by the police. Some members bought memorabilia of the visit from the shop, no doubt for Club displays in the future.

Members on board, leaving Lymington	Side of the Police Constabulalry Seizure Van

The Constance Company Van	About the Company Van	Going Aboard

Some of the Club Members in the Donald McGill Museum

 

Thursday 15th June 2017 - Summer Auction

It is very pleasing to report that this evening's auction was a record on many fronts, especially with so many lots being for Club Funds, but other beneficiaries did very well too, both as vendors and purchasers. It was a long but productive evening, testing the stamina of the excellent auctioneer!

Setting up for the Auction	Examining the Lots

(chris wheeler)

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Thursday 1st June 2017 - Members Displays - any topic, first half silent

Eight members displayed this evening, starting with Ray Saunders who put up a magnificent display of imperforate Machins, and some Readers Digest multi value coil stamps, all excellently written up in a unique script! Ken Parrott followed with stamps of Maltal designed by the famous Emvin Cremona, who between the 1957 George Cross 150th Anniversary issue and the 1980 Flemish Tapestry issue, designed 250 stamps for 62 releases. Back from his six months illness, Bryan Cribb put up five frames of photographs, sketches, and drawings, some of which he had received awards for from the Parkstone Garden Society, and as always gave some very intreresting personal and family history to his talk. He closed with a set of old postcards recently brought back from Monaco by his daughter.

Michael Mawdsley put up a frame of beautifully displayed stamp sheets commemorating the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, These covered GB (with some overprints), the Commonwealth and theomnibus issue for the Colonies. Wendy Buckle followed with two frames of highly colourful stamps, covers and postcards on the topic of Illustrated Manuscripts, with an excellent account of the production process from the 800 to 1500 period, explaining how the monastries used their animals and other products to make the vellum, ink, quills, etc, and then closed with illustrations of the binding process. Bob Small surprised us all with his display of King George V WWI ½d green stamps in the huge variety of colours thta have been individually identified, some with certificates. Until the outset of WWI, dyes had come from Germany, but this huge range in colours was a result of GB having to make their own. Bob noted that the cost of these shades varied form £1 to £11,500!!

After the break, Mike Houchen displayed a wide range of lighthouses on stamps and matching postcards and photographs of the lighthouses of France. Maxicards, sheetlets and enlargements were included in the three frame display. The evening closed with a three frame thematic display by Chris Wheeler on the Fire Services of Europe, with stamps from a host of countries relating the the Fire Service, and then some covers,meter marks, and postcards.

Ray's Machin Display of Imperforates and Coils	The only trolley bus that had good enough brakes for Constitution Hill, Poole	Bob's display of King George V ½d greens
Salisbury where St Osmond, Bishop of Salisbury, encouraged the transcription of books for his library	The New Zealand Coronation issue of 1953 showing the Crown and Sceptre	A Malta cover bearing three of Emvin Cremona's stamps

The position of the Lighthouse at Marseille, on a postcard	The display of various aspects of the Fire Service in Europe

(chris wheeler)

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Thursday 18th May 2017 - AGM

A successful AGM was held on the evening of 18th May, with many menbers atttending. As well as the formal discussions plans were finalised for the Programme for 2018-2019, and the 50th Anniversary Celebrations

The Chairman's Award, 2017

The Social after the AGM 1880s Map of Poole Harbour

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Thursday 4th May 2017 - Guest John Davis FRPSL "Tin Can Mail"

John Davis is well known to the Club for his excellent displays, and this one was also exciting. Based on his successful competition entry at Stampex in 2016, John first gave a brief account of the history and geology of the island of Niuafo'ou, part of the Tonga Group. Discovered in 1616, it has an average population of 1,300 mainly illiterate inhabitants, yet it has over the years had an enormous mail count, all resulting from its unique method of delivery. Being a volcanic island with no port or beaches, all shipments have been done to and from ships anchored about two miles off shore whose captains sound the ship's horn when they are ready to unload or pick up provisions. Swimmers go out in the shark infested waters to collect and deliver cargo to these ships. However in 1882 a white non-native became marooned on the island and sent a letter wrapped in greaseproof paper in a sealed container to a passing ship for delivery to the Tonga postal authorities asking for a mail service to be set up. Once this had been agreed the mail became known as Tin Can Mail because it was transported to and from these passing ships in sealed kerosene cans. After a few years tourist ships seized on the idea, and they made a special stop off the coast for their passengers to send mail to the island to be franked and returned to them. Over the years a large variety of cachets in different styles and languages were designed and used, and these were reflected in John's display.

Special events occurring in and to the island were also shown, such as the total eclipse of the sun in 1930, the volcanic eruptions in 1946 leading to the evacuation of the island, and the cessation of the service, and then its resumption in 1962 following the islanders return; and its continued use until the small airport was opened in 1983. His display included some newspaper articles, comical postcards, damaged covers and various other stories, such as the replacement of swimmers with canoes after one of the swimmers was killed by a shark.

Chairman Chris Wheeler gave a vote of thanks on conclusion of the talk, which had been enjoyed by all present, and had generated a number of questions during its delivery.

Incoming mail cover, 1938, with image of the island imprinted on it	Very rare cover with "Damaged by Salt Water in Tonga" cachet	Detail of the cachet "Damaged by Salt Water in Tonga" cachet
Canoe Mail	Cartoon cover from Walter Quensell to his son	Japanese hand paintedcover sent to Niuafoou for postage back to the artist
US Naval Eclipse Expedition cover	Reverse side of the US Eclipse Expedition cover	1946 Volcankic Eruption cover to Great Britain

Last Tin Can Mail Evacuation cover, 1946, to Fiji	Resumption of Tin Can Mail service FDC in 1962

(chris wheeler)

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Thursday 20th April 2017 - Competition Entries Displayed and Awards

Those who had entered the Competition on 16th March had the opportunity to put up their entries again this evening and to talk about them. Certificates, Cups and Shields were presented to much applause. This was followed by some additional displays, notably that by Tony Arnold of two boards laid out with colourful copies of the front covers of comics from the 1950s and 1960s. Mike Houchen also put of a display of some of the lighthouses on postcards from around the English coast.

Ken looking at the Competition Entries

Mike explaining his Competition Entry	The Lighthouse on Holy Island	St Mary's Lighthouse at Whiteley Bay

(Chris Wheeler)

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Thursday 6th April 2017 - Holidays and Places Visited

Three members put up displays this evening, Tony Arnold showing many pictures of his visits to Denmark, highlighting the more unusual and memorable sights and experiences as he travelled around the country, to its islands and major cities. His first illustrations were of the old cottages on the island of Læsø which had been converted to museums and had roofs of seaweed, which over time slid down and covered the walls and windows. He showed lots of pictures from the travelling floating ship The Ark, which featured many stories from the Bible, finishing with the Mermaid in Copenhagen. Don Trowsdale gave everyone a cornucopia of illustrated memories from places which he had visited during his lifetime with interesting stories about the visits. These started with his family home at County Gates on the Somerset/Devon border, his fascination with Dan Dare and itsmuseum, picking grapes from a vineyard in Lytchett Matravers and making wine from them, his visits to Quebeck, Sanibel Island, Scotland and his local at Yately where he lived for some time. Chris Wheeler then illustrated with stamps, postcards and covers items that had been sent to or received from the nine islands in the Canaries.

Don's Parents's Home at County Gates in the 1930s	On Holiday at the Coronation Street set outside the Rovers Return	In Nefoundland after the floods, a schooner towing a house to safety
The Ark floating Museum	Statue of the Pigs in Aarhus, Denmark	The craze of knitting blankets for the trees in the forest

A museum in Læsø with seaweed roof overhanging	Postcard map of the Canary Islands	1898 1d mauve from Dover to Lanzarote on piece showing St Margaret's Bay Hotel, Lanzarote

(chris wheeler)

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Thursday 16th March 2017 - Competition Evening
Green Cup, Novice Cup, Harry Parsons Shield, The Thematic Cup, Barry Proctor Cup, John Hilton Trophy and the overall Bill Way Shield

There were nine entries altogether this evening, four were judged by visiting Judge, Albert Jackson, the others by Club members. The results and overall winner of the Bill Way Shield are in the tables below. After completing his work, Albert reminded Club members that Competitions were a key part in the life of any Philatelic group, and that taking part is highly recommended. He commented that he had taken part in many competitions over the years, some doing very well, and some entries not even being placed. He had tried to be fair in following the competition rules, explaining how the entries had met or otherwise the spirit of the rules. His key message was that competitors must "lead the judge", have a plan, good introduction and then the exhibit must lead the judge clearly the through the story being told.

Green Cup (General/Traditional)	Harry Parsons Shield (Postal History)	Thematic Cup	Barry Proctor Cup (Postcards)	John Hilton Trophy (modern Covers)	Novice
1	1	2	3	2	0

Entries judged by Albert Jackson

	Name	Subject	Points	Award
Green Cup
1st	Don Trowsdale	Ascension Islands	45	MERIT
Harry Parsons Shield
1st	Wendy Buckle	Latvia at War 1919-1920	80	GOLD
The Thematic Cup
1st	Chris Wheeler	A Day Out at Kew Gardens	76	SILVER
2nd	Mike Houchen	'Evolved' Lighthouses	66	SILVER

Entries judged by Club Members

Barry Proctor Cup
1st	MikeTrickett	Paris Flood
2nd	Chris Wheeler	Postcrossing
3rd	Tony Arnold	Saucy Postcards
John Hilton Trophy
1st	Chris Wheeler	Worldwide Covers from 1967
2nd	Chris Wheeler	GB Covers from 1967
Bill Way Shield
1st	Chris Wheeler	A Day Out at Kew Gardens
2nd	Wendy Buckle	Latvia at War 1919-1920
3rd	Mike Houchen	'Evolved' Lighthouses
Joint 4th	MikeTrickett	Paris Flood
Joint 4th	Chris Wheeler	Worldwide Covers from 1967
Joint 4th	Don Trowsdale	Ascension Islands
Joint 7th	Tony Arnold	Saucy Postcards
Joint 7th	Chris Wheeler	Postcrossing
Joint 7th	Chris Wheeler	GB Covers from 1967

Going forward to the Ferndown Interclub Competition on 8 April

PostalHistory	Wendy Buckle	Latvia at War 1919-1920
Thematic	Chris Wheeler	A Day Out at Kew Gardens

(wendy buckle and chris wheeler)

Last updated 22 July 2017